The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-09-24
NAPOLEON IN EXILE
How the Conquered Conqueror Spent His
Days at st. Helena.

Days at St. Helena.
Napoleon's life at st. Helena was SO
guarded from the knowledge of the
islanders, and even of the officers of the
garrison, that on the arrival OF news
papers from England, the first question
asked was, "What news of Bonapartep'
The great prisoner was known simply
as General Bonaparte," aud by no
other title. A code of signals was
written out in small book, by which
| Sir Hudson Lowe, his jailer, was kept
informed of every movement of his I'M
perial prisoner When he took his
daily ride within the prescribed bound
airy, the men, working the wooden tele-
graphs on the hills, sent such messages
as these:
General Bonaparte has left Long
wood. " General Bonaparte has passed
the guards. General Bonaparte is
at Hutt's Gate" General Bonaparte
is missing" The last message was
telegraphed because the General had
turned, in the course of his ride, an
angle of a hill, and was hidden for q
few minutes from the observer.
An English ensign, now General
Ward, was stimulated by curiosity to
see the exile, to such degree that one
night he risked his commission for the
chance of glimpse at the mysterious
captive, through the Longwood WIN
dows. Every night, at sunset, II GORDON
OF sentries was drawn around the
Longwood grounds. The venturesome
ensign crept, under cover of trees, be-
tween two sentinels, up to Il lighted
window of the house. The curtains
were not drawn, but the blind was
lowered. Fortunately for the youth,
two or three inches of space remained
open between the blind and the Win
dow frame. The ensign knelt and
saw some one walking up and down
the lighted apartment. He could see
of the exile only q pair of thin shoes
with diamond buckles, two well bound
legs encased in silk stockings, and the
edge of coat lined with white silk.
On a sofa. so placed as TO afford the
''peeping Tom" full view of its oc.
cupant. was Madame Bertrand, with
her boy leaning on her knee. The
Emperor was speaking slowly and dis
tinctly, and some one was writing at
his dictation. The curious ensign re-
turned to the guard-house well repaid,
as he thought, for his risk, for he had
heard Napoleon Bonaparte speak.
The last occasion on which Napoleon
was out of doors, the ensign spied him
through military telescope. 1t was q
bright morning, and the sergeant of
the guard at Longwood Gate said to
the ensign: General Bonaparte is in
the garden, sir" The ensign seized a
spy-glass, threw open the guard-room
window, and surveyed Napoleon as he
stood talking to general Bertrand.
Something on the ground attracted his
notice, and he stopped to examine it.
Suddenly the music of the band eff the
regiment was heard, and he moved
away to catch glimpse of an inspec-
| ton.
The severe restrictions were MAIN
tanned as precautionary measures. Ma
poleon had once before escaped from
an island, and the British Government
did not wish Europe to be again dis
turbed by the sudden appearance of
the Emperor on the continent Napo-
Icons remains now rest in Paris, under
the gilded dome of the Invalides
While this mausoleum was being pre-
pared for the Emperor's ashes, party
was walking one morning through the
work-rooms, inspecting the sculpture
intended to adorn the vault One of the
party was the brilliant Count D'Orsay,
and another was the director of the
work, who struck the granite block
which was to encase the remains, with
a hammer, to exhibit its solidity. A
spark followed the blow.
See" said the Count, France may
vet light torch at the tomb of her
Emperor
The remark was prophetic. Frances
cry: "OR to the Rhine'' which heralded
the war with Germany, was inspired by
Napoleon's idea that the Rhine is the
natural boundary of France. Youth s
Companion.
!